State Workers Call Governor Rell’s Veto of Budget Deficit Bill Lacking Vision and a Power Grab
by Matt O'Connor on December 29thGovernor M. Jodi Rell vetoed both of the legislature’s deficit bills yesterday, calling them “feeble” attempts to solve the state’s budget shortfall. She called instead for lawmakers to grant her the authority to make additional cuts to vital services, between 10% and 15% of any appropriation if the deficit is between 3% and 5%, while at the same time refusing to agree to any new revenue generation.
Giving the governor more power to make harmful cuts to public services when people are struggling in a down economy would be unconscionable.
The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) has repeatedly offered to collaborate with the governor to engage public service workers who have specific insights on ways to increase state government’s efficiency. These “front line workers” have years of experience in their agencies and have been ready to provide the administration with clear programmatic ideas on how the state can be more effective.
Governor Rell’s inadequate attempts to achieve efficiencies have proved fruitless. Her Contracting Standards Board, whose mission is to improve state contracting practices, has not met once in 2009. In addition, her administration’s outsourcing of services from Birth to Three’s Early Connections is costing the state millions rather than saving needed funds.
It is vital that the governor and the legislature address the structural change needed to fix Connecticut’s fiscal crisis. The governor’s proposed band-aid not only gives her unusual powers over the budgetary process, it won’t solve the problem. Cutting all appropriations won’t balance the budget. Governor Rell is staunchly protecting multi-million dollar estates from even one dollar in taxes while she cuts programs that provide diapers for struggling families and the state’s economy spirals downward.
It is time that all the parties come together to provide real solutions, real revenue generation and a clear future for Connecticut’s economic recovery.
The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) includes thirteen unions representing 50,000 Connecticut State Employees united to address issues of common concern. To learn more about the coalition’s campaign for a fair budget and a livable state with great public services visit www.InThisTogetherCT.org.
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January 6th, 2010 at 12:42 am
It is time to introduce the ERIP and let anyone 52 years of age with 25 years of state service to GO…………. We need to save money and reduce the size of state goverment…………..Governor Rell should have done this last year…………ERIP at 52 years old and save the State millions of dollars………………
January 8th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Yes Patrick you’re correct! Too bad state employee unions and management not only missed the boat to save more money and get the Tier 1 employees out, they are already hiring back the employees that retired last year! No wonder they say an “early” retirement doesn’t save money. Doesn’t take much to see what’s wrong here. State agencies still can’t figure out what is a priority and let some of the unecessary tasks go; there are still many state employees in the agency I work for who openly state they “don’t have much work to do”; and yet the public is told that reducing the workforce will be detrimental to the public good. Maybe they should spend some money for someone to “get them organized”.